Cleveland Winter Festival Guide: Embrace the season at Brite Winter, Kurentovanje, ice fests, Russian fests and much more

CLEVELAND, Ohio - You could hibernate all winter. But that would be awfully boring - and long - in Cleveland. So instead of complaining about the cold, why not embrace it?

That's exactly what several area festivals are doing - and organizers are hoping you'll join them. The last few years have seen a burst of growth in winter activity in Cleveland, from the stellar Brite Winter Festival of music and culture - turning 6 - to the funky Slovenian Kurentovanje and a slew of ice fests.

Since we can't beat the cold, Clevelanders are joining it, in record numbers. And they're having fun.

"We always felt that Cleveland winter is similar to the Russian winter, and the Maslenitsa celebration is a big deal in Russia. Why don't we bring this very peaceful, joyful, full-of-fun event to the Cultural Gardens?" says organizer Svetlana Stolyarova, president of the board of the Russian Cultural Garden.

Like the organizers of all the cool area winter fests, she's not afraid the cold will keep Clevelanders inside.

"We have no doubts that people will come. Why not? Good food, hot tea, music, dances, snowball fights, games for all ages, funny contests - and even birthday parties - Russian style! We already have two birthday celebrants, and invite everyone whose birthday is around Feb. 22 to join," says Stolyarova.

So whether or not Russian pancakes or outside rock 'n' roll or ice carving are on your winter agenda, here's a guide to fests to help Clevelanders embrace, not flee, the weather.

21st Medina Ice Festival, downtown Medina Square, Friday, Feb. 13-Monday, Feb. 16: If you have trouble filling an ice-cube tray, as I do, you'll also be amazed at the intricate creations on display at this cool annual event, Friday, Feb. 13, to Monday, Feb. 16, in Medina's downtown Square. The popular fest will include more than 75 ice creations sponsored by local businesses, a speed-carving competition, a team competition and an individual competition.

The festival opens with a blast on Feb. 13, when the cool Fire and Ice Tower launches at 7 p.m. The annual feature is made of a dozen blocks of ice piled high, filled with wood and lighted on fire (yes, it works). It will stand until it melts (or falls).

Friday night starts with three speed-carving competitions at 5:30 p.m. Individual and team carving competitions will be held through the weekend. Adults can also warm up with Main Street Medina's wine-tasting fundraiser inside 32 Public Square. Tastings are $5 a glass. See mainstreetmedina.com for a full schedule of events. Admission is free, but BYOC (bring your own coat).

Cleveland Kurentovanje, St. Clair-Superior area, Saturday, Feb. 14: Kurentovanje, sort of a Slovenian Mardi Gras held the weekend before Lent begins, will feature a winter's end parade, Slovenian food and drink, cultural performances, and, yes, an appearance by many, many fuzzy Kurents. These enormous mythical Slovenian monsters are meant to scare winter away and welcome spring.

This year's Eastern European winter fest will take place on St. Clair Avenue between East 62nd Street and Addison Road, beginning at 11 a.m. Due to its Valentine's Day timing, the 2015 theme, fittingly, is "LOVE in every sLOVEnian!" A 6 p.m. after-party will be held at Sterle's Country House restaurant, 1401 East 55th St.

Paczki Day, Rudy's Strudel, 5580Ridge Road, Parma, Tuesday, Feb. 17: Yes, you can get paczki - those cream- and fruit-filled Polish pre-Lenten donuts - at many places around town on Fat Tuesday, Feb. 17. Kiedrowski's in Amherst and Seven Roses in Cleveland are delicious, and it's hard to pass a Polish bakery, or even a Giant Eagle, that doesn't sell them.

But nowhere is the Paczki Day party more fun than at Rudy's Strudel, the 68-year old Eastern European bakery in the heart of Parma's Polish Village.

People begin lining up when it's still dark outside for a box or two of Rudy's 30 flavors of sweet and savory paczki, which range from the Parma Paczki, with potato and cheese filling, to the traditional poppyseed, prune and rose-petal jelly paczki. But it's more than sweets that lure fans to Polish Village. It's the party. There will be live polka varieties from DJ C. Randolph C., and the Polka Revolution Band will getting fans moving on the bakery, er, dance floor.

This year, Sterle's food truck will also be pulling up, selling sausage and schnitzel and other goods. And, as always, the staff will be dressed up in their best babushkas. The party begins at 7 a.m. on the 17th, and runs till the paczki run out. Call 440-886-4430.

Not enough paczki for you? Polish Village Cuisine, 6301 Fleet Ave. in Slavic Village, will also celebrate Fat Tuesday with a variety of sweet and savory paczki and a lunch buffet.

North Coast Harbor Ice Fest,between the Great Lakes Science Center and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, Friday, Feb. 20-Sunday, Feb. 22: Get bundled up for this fest on the lake, where more than 20 ice carvings will be on display. Fest highlights include a Fire and Ice tower at 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 20, ice-carving competitions throughout Saturday, and the Mythbusters Science + Ice Big Science Show at 11:30 a.m., 12:30 and 1:30 p.m. Sunday on the science center patio. All outside activities are free.

Brite Winter Festival, Ohio City's Market District, Saturday, Feb. 21: Six years ago, a group of local music fans had a bright idea. Instead of fleeing the Cleveland cold, why not embrace it? Thus Brite Winter Festival was born, one of the most unique (and growing) events in the Cleveland area.

Last year's music and culture fest in the Ohio City Market District attracted more than 20,000 fans. Organizers expect even more people this year to see 60 local and national bands on eight inside and outside stages throughout Ohio City from 4 to 11 p.m. Headliners include Cleveland's Welshly Arms and Chicago band Maps & Atlases, as well as Baltimore's Sun Club. And of course, there's plenty of great food and drink from the area's bars and eateries. Plus, bonfires, crafts and much more. Free.

Maslenitsa in the Russian Cultural Garden,Sunday, Feb. 22: Mardi Gras, Carnival . . . been there, done that. This year, Clevelanders get to experience a new tradition: the Slavic Maslenitsa celebration. Also known as "Butter Week" or "Crepe Week," this Orthodox Christian Slavic holiday with pagan roots is celebrated the week before Great Lent starts. This year, some local Russians have organized Cleveland's first Maslenitsa, Sunday, Feb. 22, in the Russian Cultural Garden, from noon to 3 p.m.

The festival will include games, snowball fights, a limerick songs contest, costumes, dancers and, of course, Russian food - blintzes, hot tea from Russian samovars - along with Maslenitsa dolls and more. There will also be a pancake-judging contest. Admission is free; the experience sounds priceless!

Cleveland Arctic Plunge 2015, Edgewater Park, Saturday, March 7: How cool are you? Your chance to let the world - or at least Cleveland - know is coming. And, it's all for a good cause.

The sixth annual Cleveland Arctic Plunge will take place Saturday, March 7, at Edgewater Park from noon to 3 p.m. The brave, cool ones who dare to jump in the frigid lake will be helping to raise money for the JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation), Team FOX - Michael J. Fox's Parkinson's disease charity, University Hospitals' Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital and the West Shore Critical Incident Response Service.

Plungers receive a commemorative Arctic Plunge knit hat and an after-party at the Barley House. There will also be kids activities - on land - and the Greater Cleveland Aquarium mascots Pygmy the Seahorse and Sandy the Shark will be on-shore cheering everyone on. Register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cleveland-arctic-plunge-2015-tickets-15369455455. Fees: $25, pre-registration; $30, day of event. Students: $20, pre-registration; $25, day of event.